Improved awning



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROYAL P. PRATT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVED AWNING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 83,090, dated October 13, 1868; antedated October G, 1869.'

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, ROYAL P. PRATT, of

Hartforchin the county of Hartford and. State son skilled in the art can 'make anduse'the same, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters .of reference marked thereon. l

Figurel shows afront viewof an awning with my improvement attached. Fig. 2 shows an end view of the same.

Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts, and the dotted lines show concealed parts.

My invention has for its object the more convenient folding and rolling up 'of awnings,`so that they may wear longer and be better preserved than as at present used.

It consists in attaching appliances to a common awning, whereby the end flaps are turned inward, and the Whole rolled up smoothly and evenly close to the side ofthe building to which the awning is attached.

A A represent the side of a building, and B an awning. C is an iron frame, made of gaspipe or rods, for supporting the awning, and to which its front edge is attached.A It is irmly secured to the building, and has joints, at c, on the sides to allow the front to turn up when the awning is raised.

D is a roller or pulley, over which the cord E passes for rolling up the awning. This cord also passes around another pulley, F, near the ground, or where it can be easilyreached.'v This pulley has a square, f, upon its axis, so that it can be turned with a crank.` The pin lis inserted into the pulley and frame for the purpose of securing it in any desired position. The cord E can also be wound around the pulley D, so that by pulling upon it the awning can be wound up, and the pulley F can be dispensed with.

The pulley D and the end block G, one at each end of the awning, are supported by the pieces H H, in which their journals rest and are connected by the longitudinal rods I and J, around which the awning is wound up.

I 'Thel pulley D and theefnabloko are intended to be of cast-iron; but any otherl suit-k able material` may be used.

The pieces I and J are made of gas-pipe, and screwed into the pulley D` and the end block G at their ends. Gas-pipe is used on account of its strength and lightness; but any other rod will answer. The awning is attached lto these rods I and J `by being .sewed around them, riveted, or secured in any other common manner. y

The red' lines in the figures show the cords for raising the end flaps of the awning, so that they willbe spread out upon theunder side ot' the sloping part and wind .up `with it. The left-hand'tlap is shown in the drawings hauging down, and the right-hand one raised read y to be rolled up. y y

A rK K is a small tube,'of iron or other suit able metal, secured to the pieces H H, or to the side ot' the building, by any other means, and has on its front side the slots a on' o.

m n o p q is the cord for raising the lefthaud flap of the awning. It is secured to the iron frame and awning at m. It passes through the slot in Kv and around a movable pulley at n, thence through the inside of the tube li to o, where lit passes around a xed pulley and through anopening in the back of the tube jK;

thence it passes around the pulley p to q, where it can be easily reached for operating the awnlng.

s is a spring, of rubber'or other suitable ma terial, inside the tube K, secured at one end to the tube and at the other to the pulley at a, around which the cord passes.. This spring serves to draw back the pulley and hold'it'vin the position shown in the drawing. At the other end ot' the awningthe cord o' t q is substitutedfor the spring s for drawing back the raisin g-cord by hand instead of by the spring.

Either of these devices can be used for both A ends, although the spring is preferred. The raising-cord at this end is arranged in the saine ina-nner as at the left end, and is shown bythe same letters, accented, but is in the position it assumes when the ap is raised.

The cords p q p q are represented inv the drawing as coming down, one on each side of the awning, to show their operation more clear ly; butin practice they would both be passed through the sarne pulley, and come down together at one place. The tube K is also shown in one piece; butin long awnings it would only be necessary to have two short pieces at the ends, properly secured to the building, and leave out the middle portion as unnecessary.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired to raise theawning, the cords p q p q are drawn down. This draws the pulleys at a and a' to o and o', bringing the cord to the position shown at the right of Fi g. 1 at m o 19', and drawing inward and upward the end flaps. The awning is then rolledup on the rods I and J by turning the pulley F with a crank, orby operating the cord E by hand. The flaps are rolled up with it, lying folded against its under side. The cords 19 q p 1 are loosened, and the movable pulleys, which have been drawn toward o and o', are

` drawn back to their original positions bythe spring s or the supplementary cord, according as one or the other of these devices is used.

To lower the awning, the cord E is moved the reverse way to that used in raising it, when the weight ofthe frame G, to which the front edge of the awning is attached, draws it down, and the iiaps fall into their proper places.

If it is desired to hold the awning part way raised, `the pin lis inserted intothe pulley F, which secures itin its position.

The advantages of my invention are that the awning will be wound up smooth] y and evenly,

without creases and wrinkles, either in the end ilaps or the top; that the cloth of the awning is not liable to be torn and injured, as in the usual manner, where it is drawn up by ropes and pulleys attached to its outside edge; that it is much better protected from the weather when rolled up, as it lies close to the building', and presents no creases or folds for water to lodge and rot the canvas; that it can be easily and readily operated from the ground; and that, by means of the two rods I and J, the top ed ge can be brought closer to the building and aiford a better protection than when hung in any other manner.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf 1. The combination of the pulleyD and end block G with the rods I and J, when constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, for the purpose of winding up and sustaining an awning.

2. The cords m n o p q, arranged as herein described, for the purpose of raising andfolding under the end ilaps of an awning.

3. The combination of 4the cord fm. fn o p q, the slotted tube K, and the spring s, or its equivalent, constructed and operating substantially as herein specified.

It. I. PRATT.

WVitnesses:

C. H. Bonnows, THEO. G. ELLIS. 

